Red Sox Beat Yankees 5-1, Move 5 Up In AL East
BOSTON (AP) — Jackie Bradley Jr. tripled in two runs and singled in another, and Rick Porcello pitched six innings of a combined three-hitter to help the AL East-leading Red Sox beat New York 5-1 on Sunday and extend their margin over the Yankees to five games.
The Red Sox won for the 14th time in 17 games, taking two out of three from New York for the second weekend in a row. The archrivals meet again in the first week of September for a four-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Porcello (8-14) allowed all three New York hits, striking out four and walking three to win his fourth straight start. Three relievers provided a perfect inning apiece.
Porcello has allowed two runs or fewer in all six career starts against the Yankees in Fenway Park. That's the longest such stretch for a Red Sox pitcher since at least 1913, the ballclub said.
Sonny Gray (7-8) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings. He lost for the fourth time in five starts to fall to 1-6 in nine road starts this season.
Brett Gardner homered near the Pesky Pole for the Yankees, who had won five of their last six.
Xander Bogaerts reached with one out in the second on a flare to right, then Mitch Moreland was retired on a diving catch by center fielder Aaron Hicks. After Sandy Leon singled to left, Bradley lined one to the triangle in center, scoring two and standing up into third.
Bradley, the No. 9 hitter, drove in another run in the sixth. The bottom of the Red Sox order added two insurance runs in the eighth when Bogaerts walked, Moreland doubled and Leon drove them both in with a double down the right-field line.
Caleb Smith walked Bradley and gave up a single to Brock Holt to load the bases before striking out Mookie Betts, getting Andrew Benintendi on a popup too shallow to score a runner and Hanley Ramirez on a comebacker.
STRIKEOUTS
Aaron Judge struck out to end the eighth, extending his record of games with a strikeout to 37 in a row. Gray failed to fan a batter in an outing for the first time in his career.
YANKED
Former closer Aroldis Chapman made his first appearance since being demoted on Saturday and replaced by Dellin Betances. Chapman got the last out in the sixth and completed the seventh, allowing one walk while striking out two.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka threw on the field, mostly long toss, but also pitched on flat ground. Out since Aug. 10 with inflammation in his right shoulder, he's scheduled to come off the DL on Tuesday in Detroit.
Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia will not make the trip to Cleveland with the team, instead remaining in Boston to work on "baseball activities," manager John Farrell said.
UP NEXT
Yankees: After an off-day on Monday, begin a three-game series in Detroit. Tanaka (8-10) will face Matthew Boyd (5-6).
Red Sox: Open a four-game series in Cleveland, with Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3) scheduled to face Mike Clevinger (6-5).
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